Vehicle body



April 23, 1929. E. s. ZIEGLER VEHICLE BODY Filed July 29. 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet l V Inventor. Edwin J. Zz'gyler, Q9 WM 17M April 23, E. s. ZIEGLER I I 1,710,252

VEHICLE BODY Filed July 29, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 .72: van for:

April 23, 1929. E. s. ZIEGLER VEHICLE BODY 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 29, 1927 Jnvefiior: Edwin J: Z

April 23, 1929- E. s. ZIEGLER 1,710,252

I VEHICLE BODY Filed July 29, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 In were 202':

Edwin J: Ziegler, y MMQJUFMM-r /M Jil y-r.

April 23,-- 1929.

E. s. ZIEGLER VEHICLE BODY Filed July 29, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Edwin 5126139161 4401mm W M JHW y- April 23 1929. s, E'R 1,710,Z Z

VEHICLE BODY Filed July 29, 1927 I e Sheets-Sheet e Jhven for:

/ Edwin J- Ziegyler, w Mam MM 4 1 flttyw.

Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES EDWIN S. ZIEGLER, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

VEHICLE BODY.

Application filed July 29, 192?; Serial No. 209.321.

llfly present invention relates to automotive vehicle bOtilQH and more particularly to a standardization oil parts thereof, so that with a. comparatively iew unitary parts,a series of diii ercnt types of vehicles may be built theretrom.

The principal object oi? the invention is the provision oi a series of vehicle bodies which have :intcrchangcable units or sections of a stan dard nature. so that a body mainiliacturer will not be required to carry in stock several hundred types of completed bodies according to the purpose for which they are intended. as is the case with some vehicle body manufacturers, but on the other hand such manuiactm'er may have on hand only a. comparatively tew standard body units or sections from which. through various combinations, various and sundry body types may be constructed and built.

From the consumcws viewpoint such a sys tom has decided advantages. One such item is that of repairs. Where through accident or the like a body panel, a rear section, a top or a. front section or the like has been damaged. it will merely be necessary to order from the manutacturer a spare section to replace that damaged. The spare section may be attached simply and quickly without requiring the vehicle to be laid up in the shop for any extended period i time.

Still another object and advantage which accrues to the purchaser or owner of such a vehicle is that by purchasing a few spare and dillierent sections he may have to all. intents and purposes several types of vehicle bodies. For instance, by an interchange of front door sections. the vehicle may be converted from an open to a closed cab type. This is extremely desirable where such a vehicle is to he used through several seasons.

Again, the same body may be used on trucks or chassis of different makes by a mere interchange of cowl and wheel house sections.

Again, from a dealers or distributofls standpoint, standard sections or units are carried in stock at a great saving of space in stead of carrying a large asssortment of completed bodies. From this stock of standard sections or units various complctedbodies may be assembled to meet various vocational requirements, thus giving prompt service to his customers.

Again, due to the completeness of design and the flexibility or adaptability oi same by simply adapting the cowl or dash assembly B 'n wiinlshield section (1. Figure 6, the body isadapted to various makes of chassis and. by simply adjusting the wheel pocket No. 2i iii section E, Figure the body is adapted to various wheel bases of the dill'creut make chassis.

Tl' erelore, the invention contemplates the yn'ovision o'l interchaugcalfle body parts of dii'lerent characters for the production. of bodies oi diilerenl' typeaan d likewise the pro vision of such parts for replacement purposes. The invention :turther consists in the con struction, combination and arrangement of parts whereby the invention ellected as shown and described.

In the drawings which show diagrammatic embodiments oi my invention l l is a bottom planview oi a bottom section.

2 is perspective oili' a cowl section.

Fig. 3 is a :front view of a windshield section.

Fig. lis a door section. I

Fig. 5 is an inside view of a cab door section.

Fig. 6 is a perspective of a complete vehicle body. I

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic modified form of cab section.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic modified form oi? cab section.

Fig. 9 is a diagrannnatic side view or a modified form of side section.

Fig. 10 is a diagrzmlmatic side view of a modified form of bodysection.

Fig. 11 is an inside perspective of a vehicle body. I

Fig. 12 an outside view of a rear section.

F 13 is an inside view oi? a rear section.

Fig. 1 1- is a detail, of the lower rear corner section.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view oil a vehicle body. I

Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic tied rear section.

Fig. 17 is a diagran'miatic view of a modified rear section.

Fig. 18 is a diagrammatic lied rear section.

Fig. 19 is a diagrammatic side view of the rear section of Fig. 18.

Fig. 20 is a bottom plan View of the top section. v

side view of a side view of a view of a modiview of a modiperspective of the outside of a cab I of a flanged portion 6, the outline of which the customer. Thi's'is particularly desirab- F ig. 21 is a sectional View of the to 3 section.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the joint covering element.

Fig. 23 is a view showing tin-elevating unit in place.

Fig. 2a is a perspective oi the ele 'atmg unit.

Fig. 25 is a view showing themethod of bracing.

I will nowdeicribe with particularity, the embodiment shown.v which relates to the body of a vehicle only and does not include the vehicle chassis, as that construction forms no part of this invention.

The bodybottom A may consist of flooring 1 secured together by main transversals 2. Intermediate shorter transversals 3 are provided in order that'clearance may be had for the vehicle wheels. l he longer transversals support the side panel sections. as will be more fully hereinafter described. A cut away section l appears at. the front end of the bottom to clear the engine carried by the chassis (not shown).

It is to be understood that bottoms as above described may be made in different lengths to suit the trade requirements but in all forms, substantially the above construction adhered Mounted upon the front of the bottom section A, is provided a cowl section B consisting of a more or lessroundcd portiono adapted to conform with the hood (not shown) of the engine used, and having at the rear therecont'orms to and closes a similar opening in a windshield section C referred to later. Obviously, other cowl sections may be used which conform to the outline 01" the part 6, but which have varied forms of hood sections 5, depending on thedesign of the chassis used.

A typical windshield section C is shown to consist of uprights 7 joined at the top by member 8 and below at 9 to receive the windshield proper 10; An opening in the front of this section below the windshield is adapted to be closed by the dash adapter and cowl section B above described. Front brace supports 11 are providedt-o join and support in replacements.

A short side panel 17 completes the section.

In all the sections, there is provided sheet mounted onto the tprig'hts oi. the panel 17.

tci. ing members Suitable bolts aim other it \J 19 are provided to cure sectr together when assembling.

in Fla. the relation of clearly shown.

A. great many manu'ractu and D parts is cial designs in door scctio so that have shown in F 152 's. '1' and 8 other to ms of sections C, both of which to as above described and which are interchangeable with the sect-ion particular i referred to as mere t pes.

Immediately a scent the tront door sections D, side sectir s E are provided. These sections may be of various types such as those shown in 6. 9 and l(. T he general details of construction are shown inl i.-. 11, to consist of the usual uprights 20. cross stringers 21 and outside stripping to which is applied as in the other sect-ion a metal corcring'QS. Wi lie-cl pockets 2- in themselves separate unit-s, fit into these sections to allow wheel clearance. is in section D, att chino bolts are provided in the uprights for scour ing; the section to its neighbori A rea rclosure section F consists of a corner part QGpreferably of? cast metal or pressed steel. to which is attached an upper extension consisting: of a metal covering; 27 secured to the two wooden uprights 2S. Corners 26 hare cast integral therewit. win 9, to which the uprights 28 are fastened. 3D and bottom sills 30 and Sltie the uprights together give a rigid support torthe top and bottom sections and produce. a completed rear end section with which are fitted double doors drop tailgate etc.

The cast portion o is of decided 2l(lY21l1 race. It has been found from experience that he lower rear edge of the bodv is subject to more blows and knocks than any other portion. its result. it is that portion o't' the body whicl'i first wears out. constructing the lower portion of this rear corner of a cast section. it will withstand more t ran usual wear and yet maintain a neat finished appearance. l i

Doors h 7 .i the side upr ts in the case the front door sections D. the entire section assemblcc. is to be. used and shipped as such. This beir the case. there is no fitting of doors or drop tar rate to be done by the customer. The doors or drop tailgate are completely hung and fitted and all that remains is put the rear section complete in place. '7

In Fig. 16 is shown rear section-corresponding to the side section of 10. In this case. the portions 26 and were as before, but a tailgate 3% has rep aced the doors 32.

inc; windows 33 are hrmgrout lot) In Fig. 17 is shown a rear section having a grille work and a tailgate Set. This is a delivery type very frequently used.

In. Figs. 18 and 19, the side curved portions oi the rear section are supplemented. by a narrow panel. 86, and a single doorway 87 is pro vided. In such a construct-um, hand rails are shown and a step 39 hung from the section bottom. This is a police patrol type of body.

The body is now completed by the use of a top section G consisting of longerons -il0 to the top of which are applied curved outside longitudinals ll. Upon a shoulder formed by the parts and 4-1 I provide transversals i2 which support the stripping 43. @ver the whole is a fabric covering i l to make the same waterproof. A gutter may be secured over the edge of the fabric 4st which serves to more securely hold the covering in place.

The underside of the top at the front thereof is made to conform to the cab portion of the bodv as defined by the upper edges oi the troiit door sections D and the windshield sec--- tion C. These three parts and the two side sections E are secured to the top to make a rigid structure.

.As in the case of the bottom, the top may be made in various lengths to suit the purpose for which needed.

Fig. 11 shows the general lay out at a body cmistructed for the parts above described in detail. The drivers seat is shown at illi.

From the foregoing it will be seen that various radically dili'erent types oi? sections 11,8, O, D, E, F, and G may be used but in all cases the different types are clearly interchangeable. Obviously, all of the types have not been shown nor are those shown intended to be all that might be used. It will be seen that by an interchange of side section E oi? Fig. 10 and rear section F of Fig. 16 for the corre sponding parts of Fig. 15, a closed cab but open body is provided.

In case of damage through accident, only those parts actually damaged need be replaced, which parts may be readily had from the manutacturer.

l have found that after such a body has been in use for a. while, there is a tendency for the joint between sections to slightly separate. In order to prevent such an unsightly occurrence and to more securely hold the parts together and completely cover the joint, I provide a longitudinal strip as shown in Fig. This strip consists of a continuous piece of metal bent upon itself longitudinally to form two spring beads 41-? and l8 connected by a web +1 9. Such a joint strip may be used to advantage on the joint between door seclion D and side section E as shown in F (5. In this case the end uprights of the sections D and E are indicated at 12 and 20 rennit section con'iprising a spectively, the web -19 lying therebetween and the two uprights secured together by the fastoning member 10. Spring beading 4-7 etlectively covers this line joint on the outside and 48 on the inside which gives a finished appearance to the body. This structure may likewise be used to cover the joint between sections C and D and between ll] and F. I

in some instances I have found it desirable to use an elevating section or unit H, indicated in Figs. 23 and This section consists oi. bottom and top portions 50 and 51 suitably spaced ap: rt by spacers 52 and proded with an outer wall This unit H is adapted to be supported directly upon the same units ordinarily supporting the top section or unit G. Uponthe unitH, the top G rests,so that an increased loading height or head room is provided without increasing the height of the other units or sections. This section H is likewise iiiterchangeable in all oi the dillerent types of body a-ssen'iblies.

Sometimes, I have found that difliculty arises in fitting or squaringthe rear end section i so that the doors line up n-operly.

Tlo'obviate "this difficulty I may use the instrumentalities shown in Fig. 25, in which a connecting web 54 is provided between wings E29, and ears having apertures 55 and 56' cast or otherwise secured to the wings. A brace rod 57 suitably soeketed in the sill may be either swung through aperture 55 or 56 as rcrpiired and a nut 58 used to draw the brace tight. The foot of the brace being hold fast in the sill, the whole section maybe moved slightly from two different directions in order to make the section F lit squarely.

I claim: i i

In combination in vehicle body structure comprising unit sections interchangeable with unit sections of dillerent types, a botton'i fluorin having main transversals and shorter transversals proyiding space for the wheels and having projections at its ttrent end providing spade therebetween to clear the engine, a cowl unit se tion having feet for attachment to said projections, a windshield section having depending spaced side members to embrace said cowl unit section, front door unit sections, side sections, removable wheel socket unit sections in the side sections, a rear closure unit section, roiimded metal rear corner sections between the side and rear sections, and a top unit section, said corner sections being provided with wings to which portions of the side and rear sections are fastened, ears on said wings having apertures, a brace rod socle eted in the sill for connection through either apertm'cd ear and a nut for clamping said brace. I

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

EDl VIN S. ZIEGLER. 

